[ale] Linux "course" at GT?

[Chris Ricker]

On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, Rob Butera wrote:

> Of the 45 or so students, 8-10 said they had an "other" operating system
> installed, in all cases Linux.  Of those 8-10, about 3-4 were really
> comfortable using Linux, and the remainder were still learning and ironing
> out the kinks.  

Hmm.  That's roughly 20%.  Just out of curiosity, I'll see if I can get firm
numbers from either resnet or OIT (see below; the port scanners might be
logging that sort of data).

> Just one datapoint.  It does make you worry about new Linux installations
> in the dorms who haven't even created a root password yet :)

That's why Tech people have been griping to Slackware for years about their
insecure practice of not forcing you to set root before you reboot out of
install ;-).  FYI, one thing OIT does is random scans of resnet with ISS and
similar tools.  If a machine shows up as insecure on their scan, they turn
the port off and yell at the kid until he or she fixes their box before
turning the port back on.

> (this may
> also be why ECE, and I assume other departments, groups the dorms on
> campus with the "outside world" as far as firewall access is determined).

ECE's basically the only one that does that.

later,
chris

-- 
Chris Ricker                                               kaboom at gatech.edu
                                              chris.ricker at genetics.utah.edu